Sweden’s far-right stumbles as urban voters swing left in razor-thin election

In a tightly contested general election, the Sweden Democrats suffered their first parliamentary decline, slipping to 17.5% and dropping to third place behind the Moderates. The race remains unsettled with possible deadlock or a snap election. Turnout rose in multicultural urban areas such as Rinkeby and Tensta, where left-leaning blocs gained ground, highlighting a divide between urban, diverse districts and the national contest. The campaign’s anti-immigration rhetoric drew criticism as analysts caution the final outcome could hinge on a few ballots.